Game of Thrones (Book Spoilers, Srsly, Monkey)

Jesus A fucking Christ, they have GOT to be fucking kidding me with Cersei, Tragic Heroine of all mankind and representative of oppressed wimins everywhere.

I took it more as Cersie learned from the last go round and is now working the long con. She has to have an escape plan for Loras.

I have to admit I was surprised at the angle they took with Shae; I thought her betrayal was startlingly cruel, though less of a farce than in the book. She kept looking specifically at Tywin, as if for guidance.

Oberyn has such swagger, I wonder how much they worked on his fighting style (if at all). Can't wait for next week!

I am devastated at the upcoming loss of Oberyn. I love him so much that I already don't want to imagine the series without him.

I was happy that Shae's testimony was as brutal on the show as in the books, because I truly can't stand her in either, and I was concerned that the softening of her character on the show would mean that they would pull back a bit on her testimony. But no, she just sells him out after he tried over and over to get her to leave to save her life.

I am devastated at the upcoming loss of Oberyn. I love him so much that I already don't want to imagine the series without him.

I'm so glad they cast him well, because it's exactly the same in the books, I was all RIGHT ON he's going to WIN, wait, what WHAT is happening?! NOOOO.

I am intrigued that there is a book reader theory that Oberon (or someone else?) was also poisoning Tywin while at court, that's why such a big ass deal is made of how much Tywin's body stinks even after being old school embalmed. I hope that's true then Oberon went to his grave with Elia fully avenged.

I liked the change with Jamie making his deal with Tywin to leave the Kings Guard in exchange for Tyrion's life, since Big T was already going to spare Tyrion and send him to the Wall anyway. But I also liked that Tyrion was like Bruh, that is what they told Ned Stark, I'm not buying what our bastard father is selling, thus inflamed the situation to the max.

I'm surprised how much fun it is watching the Unsullied try and guess the fight card.

I was expecting Bravos to be in the end of the season as part of Arya's story.

Davos had a good scene straitening out the Bankers and making up for Stannis' lack of nuance.

Yara storming the castle was a real cul-de-sac.

I went out to dinner after the show and ran into an Unsullied Blackhawks fan rejected about their loss and was headed home to watch GoT to cheer up.

Half the fun of the show is the schadenfreude.

If your friend is four seasons in and still thinks the show will cheer him up? That's on him, man. That's on him.

I listened to the books on audiobook and for some reason didn't register this battle as super important until it was over, so can someone refresh my memory: did the Mountain pop Oberyn's eyes in the book? Somehow, if he did, I blocked that image.

I love that they're giving Sansa a little bit more intelligence and efficacy than Aleyne in the books. She seems more in charge of her allegiance with Petyr, from reweaving the lie and claiming her own identity to marching out in new sassy clothes. (Does this mean she's resigning herself to a physical relationship with him? That was never more than suggested in the books, right?)

I get that the Wildlings are an angry, rampaging hoard, but I don't really get their strategy. Is "kill everyone" really the only plan? Jon was not kidding when he predicted they'd fail. Certainly makes their plight less sympathetic, at the very least. (Is that kid at Castle Black supposed to be the replacement for boy prostitute Satin?)

Poor, Jorah. Poor, poor Jorah.

I kinda love this new demi-romance between Missendei and Grey Worm. That's a benefit of aging a character up. I would legitimately watch half a show of Dany braiding hair and asking sexy questions while Missendei blushes. Girl talk!

It is episode 8. We've gotten so conditioned to the shocker coming in 9 that this was a change up.

My heart was in my throat during that whole scene even though I knew how it ends.

Ugh two weeks to see how the latest Stark sibling near miss plays out

Sansa needs to dick stab Baelish at some point in the future. At this point Littlefinger victimizing her is the only shock card I can see GRRM having left. At least she's been smartening up.

Finish your damn books Glacier RR Martin!

List of the Characters their casting for next season.

ere’s the list:

Prince Doran Martell – Doran is described as the major new player this year, appearing in multiple episodes. The fiftysomething prince uses a wheelchair, is reclusive, and rules wisely. It appears the show is looking to continue the trend it started with Pedro Pascal, and cast Latino actors for the Martell clan.

Prince Trystane Martell – Trystane, the handsome fiance of Princess Myrcella, is being aged up to 18.

Areo Hotah - Doran’s personal bodyguard will appear throughout the season, assisting the prince with his duties. The show is particularly looking for a black actor to fill the role.

Obara Sand – The eldest and most athletic Sand Snake will be having a major fight scene with a series regular character—not one who crosses her path in the books. This is an interesting change.

Nymeria Sand – Nymeria is described as “mixed race,” with her father being the fairer Oberyn and her mother being darker skinned. The second oldest of these Sand Snakes, she’s beautiful, emotional, and very strong.

Tyene Sand - The youngest of the Sand Snakes that we meet uses her wits and seductive powers, and is less of a physical fighter than the other Sand Snakes. She is just as deadly as her sisters, however, but her weapon is poison.

High Sparrow - The books’ pious head of a religious movement will be appearing in several episodes in season five.

Septa Unella – The show is looking for a character actress to play the imposing and unrelenting Septa who spends a lot of time with a major series character next year.

Maggy the Frog- A fortune teller in A Feast For Crows, she’ll be in one episode next year.

Lollys Stokeworth – Just last week in “Mockingbird,” Bronn announced his intention to marry Lollys, whom Tyrion considers “dimwitted.” It looks like the sellsword will still be around next year.

Yezzan - A sleazy Meereenese slave owner.

The Waif – The strange child from the books that Arya encounters will likely be played by an older actress, one in her later teens, and we understand the show is specifically looking for a woman of East Asian descent for the part.

I'm having trouble pushing 'play' on my DVR on this one. The Red Wedding, I could handle. Robb was a prat, not missing him. And his mother, well, you know. But Oberyn, (Pedro Pascal, at any rate) is going to hurt. Perhaps I'll just rewatch 'Penny Dreadful.' Again.

I'm feeling exactly the same way. I just about couldn't wait for my unspoiled husband's reaction to the Red Wedding or Ned's execution. But he is so very sure Oberyn will make it and I just love that character so so much...plus I am going to be watching through my fingers because I do not handle high gore death scenes very well.

I'm still going to watch it, but I won't enjoy the episode as a whole as much as normal. But that's GoT and I knew what I was signing up for.

Ironically, while the uninitiated are finally catching on to how many people will die in the series, they are all resigning themselves to Tyrion's inevitable death, which is one of the few that hasn't happened (yet).

Is anyone else disappointed that we did not see Tywin and/or Cersei's REACTION to the Red Viper volunteering to fight for Tyrion? It seems like that would be a big deal since the story established that they want to get in good with Dorne and establish diplomacy, and the fact that this plan is now ruined, would be kind of a big deal.

From George R. R. Martin's Livejournal:

Oh, and it's on Father's Day as well.  How... ah... special.

I love this man.

Hahahaha, wow. That's amazing. I didn't even think of that.

I thought that was a great finale - amazing how much they managed to pack in. Overall, I continue to really like the adaptation choices they have made: shortening the battle with the wildlings, trimming Bran's endless wanderings, letting Brienne be the Hound's end (and letting her see Arya).

However, I am shocked, shocked, that they didn't end with Lady Stoneheart! How is that not the best WTF ending ever?? I mean, sure, Arya setting sail for a new land was inspiring and all, but Lady Stoneheart would have really blown everything else out of the water.

My only complaint is that the Jaime/Tyrion face-off about Tysha and Cersei didn't happen. Also a wee bit disappointed at the lack of "Tywin Lannister did not shit gold."

Overall, very good finale.

I think they thought the Tysha thing might have been an info dump. I have a feeling Varys is going to tell him next season.

I also think they are saving Lady Stoneheart for the end of the season five premiere. Thats my hope anyway.

I too like the majority of the adaptation choices. The only one that hasn't sat well with me was turning Jaime and Cersei having sex next to Joffrey's corpse into rape. But I like most of them.

I liked the finale, but didn't love it. I thought Stannis rescue was anti-climactic and should have been in episode 9, I could not give less of a fuck about Jon/Ygritte and the mourning for her and the black brother was time better spent on:

1. Jon becoming Lord Commander
2. Jamie confessing about Tysha
3. Lady Stoneheart

I did love Bran, the child in the forest with it's crazy fireballs, and Meera kicking major ass. I loved Brienne finding Arya and having the fight with Hound.

Cersei admits to incest, because power, truly, means NOTHING to her. Sure. Fine. Whatever.

I have to wonder if the Tysha reveal will happen at all. I was waiting for that reveal ALL season long, but at this point, I don't know if the show needs it. He and Shae were closer on the show than in the book, and I feel like her betrayal is enough to make Tyrion go over the edge. It also wouldn't be as painful or interesting coming from Varys as it would from Jaime.

Lady Stoneheart would've been such a cool ending. I wonder if, also, that's a plot they're omitting from the show entirely? I feel like that would depend on Michelle Fairley's availability more than anything else.

I can't even with what they're doing with Cersei at this point. She loves her children, fine, I don't have a problem with them making her a bit softer in regards to Myrcella and Tommen, but even with that softening, her threatening to tell everyone about the incest makes NO GODDAMN SENSE. If everyone knows Myrcella and Tommen are Jaime's bastards then they are all condemned to DEATH. Like, the fuck?

I think blixie and I might be the only two that loves everything to do with the Bran storyline. I have no idea where the story is going in the end but I'm fascinated by it, and it's one of the few plot lines that makes the story feel like an actual *fantasy.* Love the children, love Bran, though I don't remember Jojen dying in the book? But it's been a while since I've read ADWD.

The finale exemplifies everything I love and don't love about the adaptation changes. Putting the arrival of Stannis at the beginning of ep 10 instead of the end of ep 9, I don't get, and no Tysha or Lady Stoneheart was so disappointing, but whoever had the idea of writing in a Brienne/Hound confrontation deserves all the cookies.

As we're drumming our fingers about certain things: I'm forgetting whether Stannis moved his entire cavalry through that wee tunnel in the time it took Jon to walk across the verge, or airships or what?

Jojen hasn't died in the books, so this may end up being a case of the show spoiling the books.

The Hound/Brienne fight was AMAZING, and Brienne certainly won't stop looking for Arya now. But of course mentioning Jaime Lannister's name in any sort of way pretty much guaranteed Arya would run off in the other direction.

I guess the show is eliminating Tysha entirely, and we won't have the "Where do whores go?" refrain all over the place.

I was also expecting Zombie Catelyn. Also, COLDHANDS! I love that guy. And I thought he would have some important role to play in the future but if he's cut out of the show, apparently not? Coldhands was the only remotely interesting thing to me about the white walkers, who otherwise are just random videogame skeletons, like, at least in the 8-bit NES game of Willow from the '80s it takes a few swings of the sword to kill them. Ehhhh.

I was a little disappointed in the forest child too, who was just...a child? I also really like that plotline but I had the impression of them being way more weird and more like little elf things who could be mistaken at a distance/across the mists of time as "children" but were way more creepy/primeval looking, like the giants. (Please tell me Wun Weg Wun Dar Wun is showing up next year.) This was like, a child actor in a brown costume basically. I wanted the crow guy to be way more awesome too. I loved Martin's descriptions of him and Old Dude Sitting In Chair didn't really do it for me.

I'm fine with Jojen biting it because I recall that after they're hanging around in the tree in the books he just gets whinier and whinier, and his sulkiness is due to the fact that he knows his part is over, so may as well get that done now. COLDHANDS THOUGH.

I teared up when that guy was crying over the bones of his child. I do think the whole slavery thing is being presented as a reasonably robust dilemma. Dany has great intentions but is fucking up, and of course you don't want the show to be taking the position "Slavery: It's Not That Bad!" but at the same time, I think "Many societal norms, however bad, are deeply entrenched and changing them is not simple particularly when you are an outsider without an understanding of the culture" is coming across pretty well.

So, I thought I was well ahead in the books but I'm REALLY glad I finished the last one before this season, because, a TON from it was in this season. Bran, Theon, Dany, and J-Snozz at the very least (although the Wall stuff seems like it's going in kind of willy-nilly order unless I'm just remembering wrong), and Bran is basically caught up to the end of Book 5, unless they put way more into the learning to be a seer stuff. I guess that's because 4 and 5 happen concurrently, so they're basically doing 3 but dipping into the "next one." Truly, though, GRRM, you're going to need to write faster.

Oh, the Hound/Brienne was GREAT. And Arya was creepy. I'm excited for the Braavos stuff next year. (I noticed they've put Braavos in the credits already.)

The Tysha thing is always something I feel is meant to have more resonance than it actually does? Maybe I just don't have a good memory of it in the flashbacks. But instead of having a deep understanding of it as a fundamental part of the early forming of Tyrion's character, whenever it came up in the books I was always like "Oh right, that whole thing, he's still mad about that I guess." Unless it's meant to be important to whatever's going to happen to Tyrion next in the story, I think it's probably OK to cut it and have his 9,000-page angst-filled wanderings across Fauxrasia be more about killing Tywin and all the stuff with Shae.

The one reason I think they might keep the Tysha thing is Jaime's role in it. That betrayal from the one family member Tyrion thought he could rely on is I think defining.

Yeah, the fact that Jaime was involved in the lie is what makes it such a crushing blow. Jaime and Tysha are the only two people in Tyrion's life who loved him, and the first was directly involved in chasing away the second. But I also don't see how the impact of the revelation will land the same way when it's not coming directly FROM Jaime.

That betrayal from the one family member Tyrion thought he could rely on is I think defining.

That's my problem with them leaving it out though, it works at that specific juncture of the story to *motivate* Tyrion to go scorched earth before he escapes, it motivates him to seek out his dad to kill him, and it motivates his thirst for returning to Westeros to get vengeance on Jamie/Cersei. I watched with an unsullied and she pretty much was like WTF is Tyrion doing, just randomly walking around instead of IDK escaping? The pacing of the whole sequence was both lax and rushed and just plain didn't work. I also think attempting to weave it back in later, without the confession coming directly from Jamie undermines that the confession wasn't JUST for Tyrion, but was about Jamie trying to own up and be worthy of his white cloak. But Jamie is the only Lannister they like to shit all over.

Also, COLDHANDS! I love that guy.

Me too, he cracks me up for some reason. He's Dead Pan Walking. Hee. And he rides a big Elk thingy. And he's Benjen Stark. LA LA LA yes he is LA.

I'm still looking forward to next season, I just hope it relies heavily on Dorne, Braavos, and Jamie getting the hell away from Cersei, and spends approximately 0.0000 time on Greyjoys not named Asha/Theon. Someone floated the idea they've kept Balon alive so we can skip that entire plot. YAS.

So Bashir is Doren Martell. !!! :) :) love it. That is all.